Means for visibly indicating faulty insulators.



0. LINKE. MEANS FOR VISIBLY INDIGATIN G FAULTY INSULATORS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 30, 1909.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

UNITED STATES CHARLES LINKE, OF STRASSBURG, GERMANY.

MEANS FOR VISIBLY INDICATING FAULTY INSULATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent. application med Ju'ne 3o,

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

1909. Serial No. 505,289.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES LINKE, a subject of the German Emperor, and residing at Strassburg, Alsace, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Visibly Indicating Faulty Insulators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to insulators for high tension lines, and relates to means for visibly indicatin Vthe fault condition of such insulators as ave been amaged by short-circuiting or earth-connection.

Accordin to my invention the insulators are provide adjacent to the conductor with hollow or solid rings, collars, bands, or the like of celluloid or some similar substance of a highly inflammable nature, passed around the insulator, for instance below the conductor. Or instead of such annular device, the insulator might be wholl or partly covered b a cap, hood, or the ike of the highly in ammable material. Inorder that the device may be readily discerned by persons standing on the ground, it may be given a distinctive color, which distinguishes it from the body of the insulator. lInstead of the combustible member beingwholly of celluloid o1' the like, it might naturally be of some suitable material saturated with celluloid or a similar highly inflammable substance. On occurrence of short-circuitin'g or earth-connection, which is alwa s attended 3y an arc or flame, the said colar, ca or like device, owing to its hi h inflammabllity, s rapidly volatllized an its absence is a :lear indication to the lineman that the in- ;ulator in question is defective.

y invention is illustrated in the` accomanying drawing, in which by way of eximple one form of capped insulator is own.

Fi re l is an elevation of the insulator,

nd Iig. 2 is a plan of the one half of the ame.

The head a of the insulator is provided with a cap or hood Z1 of celluloid or other highly inflammable, but at the same time insulating and weatherproof material, which may be of some bright color, such as red. To enable the cap to be set upon the insulator over the wire o it is slotted at al; or instead of such slotting it might be furnished with suitable sockets or the like. Should the material of the slotted cap be of insuflicient resiliency to insure a tight lit, the parts e, f separated by the provision of' the slots (Z may be united by means of welts or covering-pieces g applied above or below the said parts and rendered adhesive by beinor dipped in or coated with a celluloid so vent. In this manner the slots are also closed against rain, dust, and the like, so lthat such a capped insulator is effectively protected from deposits, Whereb marginal discharges are likewise preventedi.l

Having thus described my invention, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In combination, an insulator, and a highly inflammable, insulating member applied to the same, and adapted to be consumed by the are arising on short-circuiting or earth-connection, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination, distinctively colored, insulating an insulator, and a highly inflammable, member applied to the same, and

ada ted to be consumed by the arc arising on s ort-circuitin or earth-connection, substantially as and gor the purpose specified.

3. In combination, an insulator, and a highly inflammable, insulating cap fitting the same, and adapted to be consumed by the are arisin on short-circuiting or earthconnection, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimon whereof I afix in presence o two witnesses.

CHARLES LINKE.

my signature Witnesses:

Josnrn Ronmnz, AUGUST Oos'rznmN. 

